PhD student Maxim makes $18 an hour to research children’s cancer – it’s barely above Australia’s poverty line (opens original article in a new tab)

A PhD student in Australia earns just above the poverty line while researching children's cancer, highlighting concerns about low stipends for researchers.

• PhD student Maxim Buckley earns $18.50 an hour, just above Australia's poverty line, while researching children's cancer.
• The minimum RTP scholarship of $34,315 is below the Henderson Poverty Line, with a recommended increase to $50,000 for national innovation pillars.
• Universities can pay between $34,315 and $53,608, but 16 universities paid below the poverty line in 2025.